As we approach Super Bowl LIX (aka Super Bowl 59), it’s time for a ranking of every SB uniform pairing ever played, going from worst to first. Of course, these rankings are largely subjective, and I’m sure you won’t agree with the order of my selections. After literally hours of finding and grading all 58 games played to date, I’ve come to the conclusion that ranking games ain’t easy — sure, there are some stinkers and some absolute all time glorious-looking games, but the middle-of-the-pack uni matchups can be a bit tricky.
I began on Monday with the first 12 (ranked from #58 through #47), and I explained the setup in some detail. If you missed that, you may with to check it out to see how I rank the games. Those first 12 games represented the “worst” SB matchups. On Tuesday I unveiled the second 12 games (ranked from #46 through #35), and Wednesday had the third 12 games (ranked from #34 through #23). Yesterday, was the ranking of games ranked #22 through #11.
And finally — today is my Top 10 all time best Super Bowl uniform matchups.
Remember, it’s all subjective, so feel free to disagree in the comments below.
Let’s get started…
#10: SB 7
Many consider the burgundy over gold to be the greatest look for Washington, and it sure does look good. And you don’t get a much better setting than LA’s iconic Coliseum as a backdrop.
#9: SB 6
I’m absolutely smitten with the Cowboys uniforms of this era, when their silver-blue/gray pants perfectly matched their helmets, so this is a chef’s kiss matchup. My only complaint — and it’s a small one — was the plastic grass of Tulane’s stadium.
#8: SB 30
Pittsburgh and Dallas met in Super Bowls 10 and 13, with *almost* the same uniforms as SB 30, but not quite. Dallas had dumped their silver-blue/gray pants for a more greenish-blue look, and both teams’ pants had a more shiny sheen. It was still a fantastic-looking game, just not as great as X and XIII.
#7: SB 3
I want to rank this one higher — but I can’t. Even though the NFL/AFL merger was already underway, this game made the Super Bowl into the spectacular it is today, with the Namath guarantee showing the AFL could compete with the established league, and the perfect setting of the Orange Bowl. But this is a case where the individual unis are greater than both together, as the preponderance of white (both teams’ helmets and pants, as well as the Jets’ jerseys) just aren’t as great as the Top Six uni matchups.
#6: SB 2
The end of the Lombardi Packers dynasty would culminate in a beautiful game in Miami’s Orange Bowl, but I definitely prefer the Pack in green jerseys. Such a good looking game.
#5: SB 13
Just as SB 30 wasn’t as good as SB 13 and 10, so too SB 13 isn’t as good as 10, and that’s in part due to Pittsburgh’s black masks and Dallas’ now bluer pants. Don’t get me wrong — this is still a fantastic looking game, befitting of its Top 5 slot.
#4: SB 12
I’m not sure Dallas or Denver ever had better unis than these two sets. Unfortunately for the Broncos, their best look also began the orange jersey curse. The only drawback to this game was, once again, the fact that it was held in the dreary Superdome.
#3: SB 1
This was THE game by which all other Super Bowls have had to measure up, and boy did it make an entrance. It’s got my all-time favorite uniform in the Packers’ green and gold, and my preferred combo for KC. The late afternoon sunshine in the LA Coliseum only made it that much more delicious.
#2: SB 5
Back in the early days of the Super Bowl, the designated home team did not have a choice of uniform: the home team had to wear their color jerseys — which wouldn’t normally be a problem since almost no teams wore white at home. Unfortunately for Dallas — but fortunately for those of us who LOVE their royal jerseys — the Cowboys (who hadn’t yet become “America’s Team”) were “forced” to wear their “bad luck blues.” The Cowboys may have come up a little short in this game, but it wasn’t because of the beautiful Miami afternoon.
#1: SB 10
The first of three Dallas/Pittsburgh Super Bowls was by far and away the best looking of the three, and if you ask someone to encapsulate all 58 games with just one matchup, this would be the one. Featuring America’s team at the beginning of America’s bicentennial, both teams wore a bicentennial patch, and the Steelers would win their second of four Super Bowls in six years (and in my preferred gray masks). THIS was the best Super Bowl matchup of all time.
And there you have it — the Top 15 best uni matchups ever in Super Bowl history.
As I mentioned at the outset, feel free to disagree in the comments below.
Lots of great games here, but too much Dallas. I’d rank Super Bowl II (Packers-Raiders) #1. Surprised that SB I (KC-GB) doesn’t lose points for all the empty seats in the background, at the only Super Bowl that didn’t sell out.
Definitely too much Dallas. Six of the top ten? Crazy.
Hey, let us Cowboy fans have something! It’s been almost 30 years and with Jerry and his not-so-bright kids in charge, I’m not sure they’ll ever get back.
According to the number of fans who now say they were there… Attendance must have been…300,000.
Another interesting fact re: Super Bowl III (Jets-Colts): laying gray facemasks aside (as we should, since all facemasks were gray at that time as it was just a piece of equipment and not a design element), this was the only game in which neither team’s uniform had a third/trim color.
I can think of two other games where the two teams’ uniforms combined had only three colors (white+2), one of which is on this list: Super Bowl V, Cowboys-Colts; white, blue, and silver/gray. The other is SB XXV, Giants-Bills, red, white, and blue, ignoring the Giants’ mismatched helmet.
I’m surprised your love of gray facemasks outweighs your dislike for turf. Personally I find XIII to be much more appealing than X.
Pleased to see XII ranked so high. I wanted that one in my top five but couldn’t fit it. That almost makes up for you having the wrong Chiefs game in the top ten.
If the Steelers had black face masks and the Orange Bowl had grass, I think Super Bowl X would have been my #1.
Also, the NFL Films was at the peak of its powers then, giving us the funkiest Super Bowl film. XIII was also excellent.
Am very surprised that SB XII (Denver/Dallas in the Superdome) made your Top 10 because of the lighting of the Superdome . . . but as a Broncos fan, I love the Orange jerseys of the time . . .
The guys from NFL Films told me Super Bowl 10 was their best film, the entire game looked great because it was played in the daytime, they had the bright Miami sun, and the Orange Bowl was open ended so all that light could come in.
There were also cameras there filming the movie “Black Sunday” (link), disguised as CBS TV cameras. Not a great film, but it’s cool that a fictional movie taking place at the Super Bowl was actually filmed at a real Super Bowl.
Agreed that Robert Shaw’s tremendous acting talents were wasted on this movie, but I enjoyed it (actually saw it in a theatre when it came out).
Maybe I’m not as much of a traditionalist as I thought, because many of the games you’ve ranked high in this series feel boring and dull to me. Like SB5: the Cowboys worst look vs. a white-out uni. Or SB 3, just too much white pants, especially odd since you’ve marked other matchups down for teams wearing the same pants.
I think it is interesting that you prefer games outdoors as I do. I believe last week an article asked readers about their favorite game and the majority referred to outdoor games on grass. Though I doubt it will every happen but all Super Bowls should be outdoors and on grass. I imagine most “true” fans in northern climates such as Minnesota and Buffalo would be ok with all games being played outdoors and on grass. Personally, I would rather stand outdoors in 10 degree weather and watch a game played in the mud rather than watch a game on TV played in the domes in Detroit, Indy, Atlanta, N.O. etc.
The best of that #10 picture is Billy Kilmer (17) not wearing a chin strap with his helmet.
link
+1. And, just think, if you took the Commanders’ “W” and put it on that helmet with those unis how great they would look.
Also, the earlier Cowboys photos show, once again, how much better they look with actual grey/silver pants vs the sea foam shit.
Cowboys get 6 of the top 9. Buffalo’s unis held the Cowboys back a bit :)
If Cowboys vs Broncos (SB XII) were held in LA, would it have been #1. I think so.
Like SB13 slightly better somehow because it was on grass on dreary late afternoon going into night – gave it a much different personality than SB10.
Even at the time I thought airing Black Sunday after SB13 was a questionable call.
Loved the shiny numbers font on the Cowboys SB XII. However, Skins-Dolphins from VII is my favorite.
These photos are a great example of how much better football looks outside on real grass.
I think Paul once talked about how football just looks perfect with the lighting of an early autumn afternoon, outside on real grass.
I think an interesting thought experiment would be what is the best possible week of non-alt uniform matchups you can have if all games are played on grass.
God those royal Cowboys jerseys were gorgeous! That should have been their default home look.
So, let me get this straight: I’ve been reading all week about how some games lost points because they were played on artificial surfaces. Yet, your top 2, 3 of your top 4, and 4 in your top 9, were games on fake grass.
I’m so confuuused!
Also, after seeing the Super Bowl X highlights last weekend, the first SB I actually paid attention to, I was reminded that Miami’s Poly Turf was badly worn and resulted in the Orange Bowl’s field being returned to grass (Prescription Athletic Turf, to be precise) for the 1976 season.
Agreed, both SBs X and V were great looking games, and I thought the Poly Turf actually helped to illuminate the teams’ unis. It is too bad that of the Orange Bowl’s 5 SBs, the 3 on grass weren’t blessed with sunny days.
A fun list nevertheless, although I would punt SB XII in the Superdome from the top 10 for any game at the Rose Bowl.
Stadia (esp. if indoors or on fake grass) are not the final nor sole determining factor — but first and foremost it’s the uniforms. All things being *equal,* yes a game played on concrete and indoors will be the determining factor, but the uniforms trump the atmosphere. Likewise, a game played in say, SoFi or Vegas, which are “domes” but have real grass and great lighting, are *almost* as good as being outdoors. Those old concrete, soul-less multi-purpose stadia were brutal, but I’d rather see Pittsburgh/Dallas inside the Superdome than say, Seattle/New England anywhere, just as an example.
I realize I may have somewhat confusing criteria, but the first thing I look at is the unis. After that, other factors are considered.
I may be biased as a Steeler fan, but I have to agree with SB X as number one. The only way to improve it would be for the Cowboys numbers to be twill and not shiny and for the game to be on grass.
I would have SB I lower, as the Chiefs look a bit plain with no sleeve stripes. As much as I love the Cowboys in royal, I would rank SB V lower, because the Colts blue is similar and a bit too plain.
Why the Cowboys are not still using that Cowboy number font is a mystery to me…as crazy as the Steelers not in Sand Knit varsity, which dominates your top 10.
I hope AI advances to the point where one could watch SB X but the teams home and road jerseys reversed.
Yes! I this hands down the best uniform matchup ever would be Steelers road whites (block numbers) against the Cowboys current silver-navy-silver.
I even played that on Madden one time just to actually see it!
Have to have Colts /Jets number 1. Just from historical significance of game and classic uni’s all around. Second Steelers and Cowboys SB X. Most iconic uni’s teams met first go around in SB. Third SB 1, classic AFL NFL match up uni’s first SB. I would go with Dolphins / Skins SB VII just an incredible classic overall look.
Fun feature. Agree with a couple of posts, it’s a bit heavy on Dallas, and I say that even as a longtime Cowboys follower.
My quick assessment:
Rated too low:
#56 Pittsburgh vs. Arizona (SB 43). I agree Cardinals have had better uniform designs, but its BASIC format is still here, and the contrast of unit is eye-pleasing.
#18 Miami vs. Washington (SB17). Excellent contrast and good “sunny” atmosphere.
#17 New Orleans vs. Indianapolis (SB44). Two of the best looks (and helmet logos) in NFL history, on the same field.
#15 San Francisco (white) vs. Kansas City (red) (SB54)
Rated too high:
#53 (close) – St. Louis vs. New England (SB 36)
#52 – Oakland vs. Philadelphia (SB 15) …. Good point on the “wash-out” dome look. One might think it’s simply aging of photos and footage, but for anyone who watched in real-time, it was dull even then.
#47 – Denver vs. Atlanta (SB33)
#14 Indianapolis vs. Chicago (SB41). Colts all-white is awesome, Bears look is longstanding, but for some reason the two together doesn’t gel for me.
#11 Minnesota vs. Kansas City (SB4). Too much white, with both in white pants. To be fair, Vikings didn’t have a purple-pants-eater option at the time.
Imagining:
#50 – SB48 – Imagine if Denver and Seattle each wore its “classic” sets. (Like the old AFC West era)
Bengals vs 49ers in 82. Best looking SB ever